Unlock Bengaluru: Govt thinks slow and steady is the best bet

BENGALURU: Are you waiting for the unlocking to begin, so you can go back to your weekend activities? Well, do not expect to step inside a theatre or stroll through a mall. The government has decided not to open these places and will also limit weddings and fine dining in the upcoming first unlock season.  
The government and officials are working overtime, only to ensure that mistakes made during Unlock-1 are not repeated.

To ensure that Unlock-2 is strictly implemented and delays the onset of the third wave, while forming guidelines scientifically, the government is taking each step cautiously. Officials, experts and members of the technical advisory committee are studying models of other Indian states and countries, like USA, UK, Australia, Bangkok and Hong Kong.

Officials are holding a series of late night meetings over the past couple of days to decide what could be opened first. “We are thinking about opening parks, playground and gardens for people to walk and exercise in the first phase. Also, some offices need to be opened so that economic activities can resume and vaccination drives carried out,” an official said, adding that congregations of any sort are not allowed until further notice. 

Sources in the BBMP said the plan is to allow restricted activity and no congregations, so that testing and contact tracing is done easily. “We are planning to keep the numbers low, as it was observed that people never adhered to numbers. A tighter vigil is required. We are not keen on opening malls, theatres and dine-in services in restaurants immediately, as they are high-risk places. Many cases were reported from such spaces and some had also become super spreaders. Opening of salons is still being debated, though some say it is required. The idea of opening markets on alternate days is also being debated as large crowds are a worry,” a BBMP source said.

Experts, however, suggest that the government should not announce an unlock from June 14, but gradually open one sector at a time. They suggest that the government buys more time to prepare for the third wave so that it can be handled better.

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